The beach and clubs of Omaha during the summer of 1969

This press page presents the leisure and water activities of Omaha Beach during the 1969 season. It describes more than four kilometers of beach between Vierville and Saint-Laurent, halfway from Grandcamp-les-Bains and Port-en-Bessin, with two hundred hectares of sand at low tide and a maritime boulevard.

The article recalls the old fishing port, the Landing of June 6, 1944, the establishment and then the destruction by the storm of an artificial port. He points out the remains and monuments, including that of the National Guard inaugurated for the twenty-fifth anniversary, during which Mayor Michel Hardelay had found liberators of the commune. The historical narrative is that of this old page.

The presentation especially emphasizes the holidays: crab fishing, bouquets and mollusks in the rocks, fish near the pontoons, games and contests of the Friends of the beach, shady paths of the countryside, equestrian walks in the Vaumicel, Omaha club for children and nautical club for sailing lovers.

The Omaha Beach Water Club was created just over three years ago. Its president, Mr. Bordeaux, a former boat manufacturer in the Paris region, retired for two years, had been spending his holidays in Vierville for about twenty years before settling there. Originally from a family of sailors, he had chaired the Société nautique du Tour de Marne in Saint-Maur, belonged to the French Canoe-Kayak Federation, organized the Mâcon World Championships in 1954 and was captain of the French team. His son Claude, twenty times international, had been several times champion of France.

The committee was among the vice-chairs Mrs. Voisin and Mr. Desprez and the secretary Anne-Marie Durand. The position of treasurer was vacant after the recent death of René Garlot, very devoted to the club. Mr. Defortescu father took care of the sailing school, Me Baudet of the equipment, Patrice Bordeaux of the regattas, and François Loyer with Patrice Garlot of the leisure. Twenty-five licensees participated in competitions and about forty families contributed, representing seventy to eighty people. Everyone helped with activities and maintenance, the Verney family being presented as a pillar.

Open from Easter to autumn, the club was in full swing in July and August. His twenty boats included Caravelles, 420, 470, 485, Vauriens, Fireball and seven Optimist allowing children to start around seven or eight years old. The members were of all ages and all situations.

The clubhouse, set up the previous year by the sea thanks to a departmental grant, hosted meetings and a sailing school. The latter was sold out with twenty-four students on Caravelle, under the direction of national monitor François Durand and his deputy Éric Defortescu. Four crews were to represent the club among the thirty participants in the French Fireball championships in Pauillac, from August 3 to 7.

François Loyer and Patrice Garlot prepared several evenings and outings at sea per month, with picnics, especially to Port. A car rally and a méchoui in Saint-Marcouf were announced for August. Large regattas were to bring together about fifty crews from the coast on August 24.

The Omaha Club welcomed about thirty children under the guidance of lifeguard Serge Bouijoux, originally from Limoges and trained at the École normale supérieure de Paris according to the article. Helped by his wife, he offered games, daily competitions sponsored by major brands, swimming surveillance and swimming initiation. With the two lifeguards of the rescue station, he could pass the patents. The club's motor boat also allowed rides to the Pointe du Hoc and water skiing tours.

The general supervision of the beach was provided by Jean-Yves Caville, of the CRS of Nantes, for his third season in Vierville, and Raphaël Santisteban, peacekeeper in Béthune, for his first. Since July 1, no serious intervention had been reported.

A regatta reserved for women's crews had finally been able to take place on a Sunday despite a midday fog dissipated before departure. The published ranking was: 1. C. Durand and A.-M. Durand, Fireball 1948, three points; 2. A. Durand and C. Durand, Simoun 485 no 239, three points; 3. E. Defortescu and F. Durand, Fireball 2829, 8.7 points; 4. C. Verney and Mrs. Verney, 470 No. 1831, 13.7 points; 5. C. Coffignal and E. Bordeaux, Fireball 2269, twenty points. All crews were CNOB.

Reconstructed or uncertain passages:
- The small definition of the text makes some spellings uncertain, especially Me Baudet and Santisteban. The presentation of the artificial port and its storm is preserved as the story of the 1969 article, without the addition or independent historical validation.

Archive image: https://vierville.cordelle.eu/Photos2008/1969-CNOB1969.jpg